You can mix wood ash with water and fabric scraps in the paper-making process. The combustion process produces lye when the ashes are mixed with water. Over a period of a couple of weeks the lye breaks down the fabric scraps into fibers that can be used for making laid paper.

When making Lye for soap making one must first put the wood ash in a steel 5 gallon bucket, with a small hole about the size of 1/4 inch in the corner of the bucket. Dump some water in the bucket about 6 cups. Wait till it leaches through the ash. Keep doing this till its leached through and into a holding bucket. This black stuff will be your lye for soap making. DO NOT get this stuff on your hands, as it is very caustic.